Since emerging in the mid-2010s, rapper Nef the Pharaoh has anchored the Bay Area scene with high-energy, wordplay-heavy verses set against crisp, driving beats. Long a regional presence alongside recurring partners Mozzy, E-40, Philthy Rich, J. Stalin, and Mistah F.A.B., he first broke through on the singles “Bitch I’m from Vallejo” and “Big Tymin’.”
Born Tonee Hayes in 1995, the Vallejo native began rhyming before turning five and sharpened his skills as a teenage freestyler shaped by Mac Dre, E-40, and DJ Mustard. His 2014 local hit “Bitch I’m from Vallejo” reached E-40, who placed Nef on the Sick Wid It Records roster. Following the early mixtapes Rich by 25 Two and Neffy Got Wings, Nef issued his self-titled 2015 debut EP, whose second regional success “Big Tymin’” drew notice from independent outlets and blogs.
His first proper studio album, The Chang Project, appeared in 2017. Joined by Ty Dolla $ign, OMB Peezy, Remedy, and Mozzy, the record mixed reflections on police brutality, gentrification, and the neighborhood drug epidemic with customary boasts and a nod to Lauryn Hill. The 2018 follow-up The Big Chang Theory featured lead single “Big Boss Chang.” The next summer brought the standalone tracks “South Vallejo” and “High Voltage” with Tyga, setting up the August arrival of sophomore LP Mushrooms & Coloring Books.
